Hailie Deegan Announces New Contract After Shock NASCAR Snub

Hailie Deegan, a known name in motorsports largely due to her association with the NASCAR National Series and a famed lineage tracing back to action sports legend Brian Deegan, is making a move in her racing career. Announced today, Deegan will transition from NASCAR to the Indy NXT Series, setting her sights on a fresh challenge in 2025 with HMD Motorsports.

This is a sharp turn in Deegan’s racing trajectory after spending four seasons in NASCAR with mixed results.

Deegan’s upcoming role with HMD Motorsports will see her piloting the No. 38 car, a move she hopes will rekindle the success that characterized her early years in racing.

“I am excited about the opportunity and look forward to working with a proven program in HMD Motorsports,” she said via Motorsport.com.

“I have much to learn,” she said. “But I am ready to go. The team brings a wealth of knowledge for me to pull from, and I look forward to soaking up as much of that as possible before my race debut next March in St. Petersburg.”

Deegan’s departure from NASCAR follows a period of pretty poor performance. Her stint in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series from 2021 to 2023 saw limited success with just five top-10 finishes across 69 starts. Her best points finish came in her rookie year, where she managed a 17th-place standing. This performance carried into the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, where she faced challenges such as crashes resulting in three DNFs.

Before her break into the national NASCAR scene, Deegan saw considerable promise in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Division, where she made history as the first female driver to win a race. Her racing tenure in this series, later known as the ARCA Menards Series West, was distinguished by three victories and a third-place championship finish in 2019. In the same season, her performance in the ARCA Menards Series, where she earned multiple podium positions and finished third in the standings, further solidified her potential as an emerging racing talent.

Joining HMD Motorsports in the Indy NXT Series positions Deegan within a development hub known for grooming talent aimed at transitioning to the top class of IndyCar racing. Partnering with teammates Caio Collet, Josh Pierson, Tommy Smith, and Bryce Aron, Deegan’s new seat is designed to fulfil her potential.

Team President Mike Maurini said the following:

“Hailie, and especially the Deegan name, are huge in motorsports, and we welcome them to the HMD Motorsports family.

“Hailie has already been out to the shop and is taking the move to open-wheel racing seriously. She is looking for a place in the Indianapolis area to be emersed with the team and is already working with her engineer.

“We want to make sure she and all the other HMD Motorsports drivers are as ready as possible for every on-track session.”